Golkonda Fortress description and photos - India: Hyderabad (Topic)

Golkonda fortress description and photos - India: Hyderabad. Detailed information about the attraction. Description, photographs and a map showing the nearest significant objects. The name in English is Golkonda.

Photo and description

11 kilometers from the current Indian city of Hyderabad, there are the ruins of the ancient city of Golconda, which in the 16th-17th centuries was the capital of the principality of the same name. The main building that has survived to this day is the central fortress, which was created to protect the city from Mughal raids, and is located on a hill at an altitude of 120 meters.

The original version of the fortress was built in the XII century during reign of the Indian dynasty Kikatiya, but over the course of three centuries it was conquered several times, and by 1507 the Islamic rulers Qutb Shahi came to power, who restored the dilapidated citadel. But already in 1687, after a nine-month siege, the Golconda fortress was finally destroyed by the Mughal emperor Aurangazeb.

Fortunately, even now you can see all the former might of the citadel. It consists of four distinct parts, the length of the wall around which is about 10 km. The total number of bastions is 87, they have a semicircular shape, and in some there are even combat weapons.

On the territory of the fortress there are all the structures necessary for the life of that time: residential buildings, temples, both Hindu and Muslim, as well as stables and warehouses. In addition, there were many decorative elements - fountains and pools. The fortress has eight gates, which are carefully guarded, and four drawbridges.

There is excellent acoustics on the territory of the building, and even the sounds of footsteps were heard at a considerable distance. This effect was specially created in order to ensure greater security for the Sultan's family.

Such precautions were also associated with the fact that at one time Golconda was the center of diamond mining and trade. And such world-famous stones as Kohinoor and Hope (Hope) were at one time kept on the territory of the fortress.

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Topic: Golkonda Fortress description and photos - India: Hyderabad.